Breakout candidate for each NFL AFC North team in 2020
By JD Bagley
Steelers: WR Diontae Johnson
The former third round pick out of Toledo, Diontae Johnson, had a strong rookie season, especially when considering the revolving door that was the Steelers quarterback room last year. Johnson caught 59 passes for 680 yards and five touchdowns in Pittsburgh a year ago, all without Ben Roethlisberger for essentially the entire season.
With Roethlisberger set to return in 2020, expect Johnson’s numbers to elevate to an even higher level than they did in his rookie campaign. Entering 2019, he was seen as the third option at wide receiver on the Steelers’ roster, but quickly asserted himself as the second option behind Juju Smith-Schuster.
While the Steelers added Chase Claypool in the 2020 NFL Draft and have James Washington still on the roster, do not expect Johnson’s touches to get eaten into too much. Instead, expect Claypool to be used more in the red zone, while Johnson receives a higher share of overall targets.
dark. Next. Examining role of safety Grant Delpit with Browns
As a rookie, many players are still adjusting to the speed of the NFL, but year-two is when you really see a jump in production; do not expect Johnson to be any different. Can he take over the role left by Antonio Brown a year ago? That may be a big ask, but Johnson showed a high ceiling as a route running phenom as a rookie.